The UPY awards

Rewarding excellence and potential

About the UPY Awards

In addition to the results and prizes, six prestigious titles will be awarded by the judges, some of which trace their origins back to the original Brighton Festival. Four of these titles are open to eligible photographers from every country:

Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 is the top award of the UPY competition, and will go to the photographer whose single image is the best in the show (so therefore is likely to also be one of the category winners). All entrants are automatically considered for this award.

Underwater Photography Book Of The Year 2019 will be awarded to the (print) book that most impresses the judges. Please see the description of the Underwater Photography Book category.

Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year 2019 will be awarded to the winning image in this new category (which is currently free to enter, but has no prizes). Open to both underwater and above water images.

The other two titles will be awarded to British Photographers only. To be eligible, you must be one or all of either British National, British Passport holder or British Resident. This means that British expat underwater photographers, of which there are many around the world, are eligible. It also means that non-British photographers, who live in the UK are also eligible.

Please mark the appropriate boxes on the entry form to be considered for these awards.

British Underwater Photographer of the Year 2019 will be awarded to the British photographer whose single image is judged most outstanding in the competition (from any category). All British photographers who enter are automatically considered for this award.

Most Promising British Underwater Photographer 2019 will be awarded to a rising star on the British underwater photography scene. It will go to the British photographer, who has not previously been published or won an award, whose single image is judged most worthy in the competition. The winning image could be chosen from any category.

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